Displaying Art in Your Kitchen - A Creative and Practical Approach

You've probably seen many interior design magazines where artwork and pictures are placed in the kitchen, either hung on the wall or otherwise. Although putting art in the kitchen may have its disadvantages - namely to do with oil and grease dirtying and damaging your art pieces, you can still take some simple steps to ensure that your pictures will not only last well into the future, but also help to create some interest in the kitchen. Here are the pointers:

Protect your art with proper framing

Notice how your kitchen areas, like the floor, cupboards and walls, feel oily after cooking? Since your art is going to be displayed in the kitchen, where there's going to be a lot of grease from cooking, you should ensure that you give your art pieces proper protection so that it will be long lasting. Select a good frame and a clear protective glazing layer known as Plexiglas with UV protection to preserve the artwork within.

Maintenance is the key to longevity

It is important that you take measures to properly maintain the art displays. This will include dusting and cleaning with a cloth to remove all the dirt and grease that may have accumulated on the frame or the Plexiglas. Clean the art pieces regularly, about once a week, otherwise it'll be difficult to get rid of the oil and grease after some time. Use a slightly damp cloth to wipe making sure that no water seeps inside, damaging the print.

Display the art at eye level

Now its time to get a little creative - when you hang pictures on the kitchen walls, try to hang them at eye level. This will of course be easier for people to enjoy the pictures without craning their necks or stooping down low just to have a look. If you're hanging art in the dining area, make sure that when guests are seated, they will still have a good view of the art pieces. For example, when hanging art on the wall behind a dining table, hang the art pieces between the chairs at the dining table. This will ensure that people sitting down will not be blocking the art pieces behind them. Also, create a little space between the wall where the art is displayed and the dining table, if space permits of course.

Stick to pictures that are small in size.

Most kitchens are relatively small in size. Assuming your kitchen is a modest sized one, select art work that is smaller in size. Small pictures are better appreciated from a near distance, especially in an enclosed space of a kitchen. Better yet, arrange three or four small pictures and group them together. Because people looking at the art work will be seeing it from a close distance, select pictures that have detail in them - an example would be flowers where the intricate details of its petals can be clearly seen. Small pictures with detail are much more appreciated when a viewer is seeing it from a short distance away, like from a dining table.

Selecting a suitable theme

Choosing a suitable theme for your art display can be a tricky issue. It really depends on the theme and the mood of your décor. Assuming you've chosen a modern contemporary setting for your home, suitable art pieces you can use for your kitchen or dining area could be food related. Pictures of fruits or vegetables hanging on the wall would surely whet the appetites of diners. You can also choose a floral theme for the art display - why not hang four pictures in a square group arrangement, with each picture showing a different flower with a different color. You can of course be brave and do away with all the boring food and flower stuff. Go for an architectural theme instead - use pictures of buildings and structures. If your kitchen is vibrant with different colors that could overshadow the pictures, then drop the colors and use black and white pictures. Make the art work call for attention by using suitable matting to focus the viewer's attention onto the picture.

So there you go! Displaying art in the kitchen may have certain drawbacks on the art pieces because of cooking grease, but with some simple diligent steps in maintenance and protection, you can be sure that your kitchen art collection will last a long time to come.

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